Feeling Love

Connection by Akiko Hoshino

Lately I have been making a study of my fellow artists, past and present. In the process I revisited a Japanese artist by the name of Akiko Hoshino, whom I discovered through the magazine Pastel Journal. Sadly her young life was cut short by a hurtling chunk of metal with four wheels driven by an inattentive human operator in New York late last October. I submit her artists statement here because I was so taken with it, the sweetness of her soul comes through so clearly to me.
"I always want to make picture which give a hope to people. No matter how depressed they are, people should go forward. I imagine myself to be in the same situation when I create my artwork. Some people look at the future straightforward with strong will. Tender smile reminds people of happy time. I think peoples feelings and expressions are beautiful. Those feelings and expressions give other people courage and high-spirited heart, also make me vigor to make my pictures.
My art pieces are executed by charcoal and pastel in black and white. One of the reasons why I use black and white is they are strong and simple, and also emphasizes "Light".

Akiko's statement "tender smile reminds people of happy time" is haiku at its best and I am certain that her family and friends will have that smile on their faces when they remember her. In our own individual way I think all artists strive for what Akiko strove for and expressed so well in her work.